The Official Airdrieonians Thread - 2019/20 and beyond

[Moon]

lets not go that far 

[airdrieman]

17 hours ago, AJ77 said:

Callum smith from Dunfermline in talks with us, assuming it’s a loan deal as he’s under contract

Is that the blonde haired boy? Can remember his face but nothing about him playing against us at all. Would be interested to hear the thoughts of Dunfermline, Alloa and Arbroath fans. Would prefer Andy Ryan if we're to get a Dunfermline striker on loan  

As others have said though, at this point it probably is going to be your young unproven strikers that are left to sign. It's worth remembering too that the club had obviously planned for the season ahead with the idea of McIntosh staying and that we seemingly offered Kris Doolan a deal though ultimately both players decided to pursue other options so that might have hampered our options somewhat. At the moment I can't see a 20 goal season striker in our team (though a Dumbarton fan said he thought Gallagher could possibly get twenty goals) but I'm hopeful we'll get more goals across the team this season, especially the front line and midfield. The lack of goals from midfield is something that really cost us last season IMO. 

10 hours ago, ++Ammo - Airdrie++ said:

After reading that thing about Page, I wouldn't be massively averse to giving him a chance as a back up Centre Half. If his claims of now being fitter than EVERYONE in the squad are founded, and we're still paying him at the moment, then by all means, give him a crack in friendlies and maybe even a cup game or 2 to rotate folk, keep things fresh.

Meh. If he's still going to be on the books then he might be worth giving a chance at some point. But I imagine that, even with his claims about his fitness, he'll be way down in the pecking order behind Crighton, Fordyce and Kerr. And TBH I'd rather get rid and give the likes of Arran Ross a chance before him too. 

9 hours ago, Airdrie76 said:

Good to hear that the club have now issued the Trust with the share certificate for the £10k that was in dispute. Shame it had to go down the legal route.

That's excellent news. Anything else to take from the meeting? Hopefully that can be the start of them establishing a relationship again and working together to better the football club, fan base, town and community.

[Red Diamond]

That's excellent news. Anything else to take from the meeting? Hopefully that can be the start of them establishing a relationship again and working together to better the football club, fan base, town and community.

I think it will be difficult for both sides to repair the damage thats been done in the last few months.

[Airdrie76]

Falkirk have on paper made some really good signings in midfield and defence but I was reading a couple of days ago, they don't have a single striker signed up.

They’ve just announced Conor Sammon this afternoon I see. Not sure what to make of that. I’ve always thought he was shite but at this level surely he’ll be able to do a job.

[Passionate]

27 minutes ago, Red Diamond said:

34 minutes ago, airdrieman said:

That's excellent news. Anything else to take from the meeting? Hopefully that can be the start of them establishing a relationship again and working together to better the football club, fan base, town and community.

I think it will be difficult for both sides to repair the damage thats been done in the last few months.

The football club have moved down a different route now and really we all have to back it and see where it takes us,,   Where that leaves the Supporters Trust i don't know personally I would go back to basics, not to sure what the constitution states...   

[Airdrie76]

That's excellent news. Anything else to take from the meeting? Hopefully that can be the start of them establishing a relationship again and working together to better the football club, fan base, town and community.

The bulk of it was the shares being given by the club to the Trust.

 

However the club also informed the Trust that they’re planning another share issue which will see the Trust shareholding % diluted (so give with one hand and take away with the other - but fair enough, they are entitled to do so). No idea why - e.g. more money needed or for ownership (control) reasons.

 

There was also the announcement of the Trust splitting - the charity work the Trust has been doing will now done under the banner of ‘Diamonds in the Community’. It will be an extension of what is done now but extend further into the community and include other sports. As a result some of the Trust Committee will be resigning and are now trustees of DitC. They’ve been given charity status which is something that has been in the planning for a long time.

 

And the message throughout was that the Trust hope that all parties concerned can find a way to get along and work together again.

[DiamondOwl]

1 hour ago, airdrieman said:

Meh. If he's still going to be on the books then he might be worth giving a chance at some point. But I imagine that, even with his claims about his fitness, he'll be way down in the pecking order behind Crighton, Fordyce and Kerr. And TBH I'd rather get rid and give the likes of Arran Ross a chance before him too. 

TBH I think all these players on 2 year deals have been treated very poorly by the club. Being frozen out, not even getting on the bench for pre-season friendlies, etc. Told they're not even worth being given a chance. Page has admitted he wasn't the best last season and claims he has put in the work to seek to change things. Surely he deserves one chance, he certainly wasn't the worst last season and talking of playing Arron Ross shows how little experienced back up we've got. I don't know Page personally, but it would appear that the club were not prepared to make good any losses he would have experienced by going to Peterhead. No one should be forced to do all that travelling for less money than they  are entitled to receive under their present contract. So puting myself in his position I would stay at Airdrie and say "Get it right up ye"! 

[Red Diamond]

Wasn't the worst are you having a laugh he was f##### dreadfull
He's one of the worst players we've had in recent history and i cant believe another team is actually thinkimg of taking him on.

[Jack Reed]

25 minutes ago, Red Diamond said:

Wasn't the worst are you having a laugh he was f##### dreadfull
He's one of the worst players we've had in recent history and i cant believe another team is actually thinkimg of taking him on.

A lot of us thought Scot Stewart was pretty bad had some poor games ,Arbroath think he is outstanding .funny game football.like a lot of games the better players are always watching .

[AJ77]

Personally I’d rather give Arran Ross or Robbie Leighton a chance in there before page

[Spanish Armada]

They’ve just announced Conor Sammon this afternoon I see. Not sure what to make of that. I’ve always thought he was shite but at this level surely he’ll be able to do a job.

And wit?Hes pish

[airdrieman]

1 hour ago, DiamondOwl said:

TBH I think all these players on 2 year deals have been treated very poorly by the club. Being frozen out, not even getting on the bench for pre-season friendlies, etc. Told they're not even worth being given a chance. Page has admitted he wasn't the best last season and claims he has put in the work to seek to change things. Surely he deserves one chance, he certainly wasn't the worst last season and talking of playing Arron Ross shows how little experienced back up we've got. I don't know Page personally, but it would appear that the club were not prepared to make good any losses he would have experienced by going to Peterhead. No one should be forced to do all that travelling for less money than they  are entitled to receive under their present contract. So puting myself in his position I would stay at Airdrie and say "Get it right up ye"! 

Page is perfectly entitled to receive a payout or to sit out his contract. I hope he gets his fair dues money wise either way. But he's not entitled to game time just because he's still contracted to the club. Whatever way you slice it Page was rotten. And despite all his claims about being fitter than everyone else in the squad and despite still having a contract, Murray still wants him out the door and clearly has no intention in playing him. Which says it all. It's all well and good saying he deserves a chance but what if he comes on the park, makes an arse of it and costs us a league or cup game? It's really not worth it just for the sake of being nice to the guy. I don't think any of the guys on 2 years deals have been treated poorly actually. If you or I were as rubbish at our jobs as Page or the rest of them we'd have been shown the door too. And we probably wouldn't have got the exact same job at an equivalent level as almost all of them have. Why keep them here then when they can get a wage and regular game time somewhere else?  No one is forcing Page to sign for Peterhead. He himself seemed keen to go judging by his comments in the press. It seems a slightly odd situation but there must have been some sort of issue or disagreement between Page and the club, presumably over money. I hope it can get sorted out in a way that suits all parties. 

RE experienced backup, at centre-half this season we can play any combination of Fordyce, Crighton or Kerr who will all presumably be our first choice centre-halves. We already know Crighton is better than Page, it's safe to assume Fordyce will be better in a diamond than Page was and Kerr sounds like he'll potentially be better than Page or at least has higher potential or growth value. With guys like MacDonald, Eckersley and Edwards too we can switch to a back 5 with any two of those and the aforementioned three. Crighton is a virtual ever present too. I just genuinely can't see where Page would fit into the team even if we wanted to give him the benefit doubt. RE Arran Ross, he's an unknown quantity at this level of football but has been spoken highly of. If it was between giving him a run out or Page, a known quantity who we know isn't very good, then yes I'd rather give Ross a run out. He's a youth product and at least he hasn't done anything, yet, to prove he's not good enough to play at this level. If we gave Page a game instead despite knowing he's rotten then what's the point in Ross even being here? 

Either way, I don't see Page wearing the diamond again. 

[ewan_fife]

Conroy probably heading to the lowland league [emoji102]

[CapitalDiamond]

A share issue does dilute existing members, but it also means a cash injection with the extra money going in.

[Airdrie76]

A share issue does dilute existing members, but it also means a cash injection with the extra money going in.

Not from the Trust. No money to invest the £33k approx required to maintain existing percentage.

[Diamonds are Forever]

Page was poor last year, but he only played 13 games (quite rightly, given his form), the vast majority of which were in Findlay's shambolic team. Anyone can have a poor run of form and/or not be fully fit and under perform. The last game I saw him play (the last home game of last season?) he was probably our best player. Some of the reactions over how poor he is are hysterical, as they tend to be online. He has proven before in this league that when fit he is at least competent and by the sounds of it he is fit and keen to prove a point. If he is under contract I have absolutely no issue with us keeping him as experienced back up, infact given we'd have to pay money to get rid of him I'd say it seems the sensible option rather than paying him off to replace him with an untested youth player.

Conroy was a different story, he had been here for years and was proven to be completely ineffective in a variety of roles over a long period of time. Findlay giving him a 2 year contract was a ridiculous decision, at least when he signed the likes of Page on 2 year deals we thought he could be effective and it may have worked. Conroy had already proven not to be with us yet he signed him anyway.

Edited July 4, 2019 by Diamonds are Forever

[Spanish Armada]

Conroy probably heading to the lowland league [emoji102]

Dumbarton [emoji102]

[CapitalDiamond]

Not from the Trust. No money to invest the £33k approx required to maintain existing percentage.

I get that, but it must mean that the majority owners are either putting more cash in or doing a debt for equity swap on existing loans. I’d see that as a good thing in terms of long term commitment.

[Moon]

Surely no debt given the Celtic game and the biggest sponsership deals we've ever had?

 

But it's happening regardless of the reasoning so I almost deleted this post three times 

[Tory Boy]

9 hours ago, Diamonds are Forever said:

Page was poor last year, but he only played 13 games (quite rightly, given his form), the vast majority of which were in Findlay's shambolic team. Anyone can have a poor run of form and/or not be fully fit and under perform. The last game I saw him play (the last home game of last season?) he was probably our best player. Some of the reactions over how poor he is are hysterical, as they tend to be online. He has proven before in this league that when fit he is at least competent and by the sounds of it he is fit and keen to prove a point. If he is under contract I have absolutely no issue with us keeping him as experienced back up, infact given we'd have to pay money to get rid of him I'd say it seems the sensible option rather than paying him off to replace him with an untested youth player.

Conroy was a different story, he had been here for years and was proven to be completely ineffective in a variety of roles over a long period of time. Findlay giving him a 2 year contract was a ridiculous decision, at least when he signed the likes of Page on 2 year deals we thought he could be effective and it may have worked. Conroy had already proven not to be with us yet he signed him anyway.

The problem is, he wasn't fit. He put very little effort in training and piled on the weight. This situation is his own doing. He was paid (and apparently paid well) by the club and he let himself go. Fair enough he has realised it wasn't acceptable and tried to get himself back in shape but I have no sympathy for him.